Corner joint structure



Dec. 29, 1959 J. F. SHARP ET AL 2,918,708

CORNER JOINT STRUCTURE Filed July 1'7, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5 7. s. R 3% 7 f 1 x M 2 J n 1 MI W F 1 r 1 Z E9L ...m" E 0" A 4. T H m I m n 1 WW Zfiii 1w? 2 f, L i w, 6 7. I 2 u H Dec. 29, 1959 J. F. SHARP ET AL CORNER JOINT STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1958 a 4 5 M w 1F q wm W@% 1 0 {M g M Jaowfl Dec. 29, 1959 J. F. SHARP ETAL comma JOINT STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 17, 1958 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent CORNER JOINT STRUCTURE Joseph F. Sharp, Norwalk, Conn., and Garold D. Frymire, Fullerton, Calif., assignors to Arcadia Metal Products, Fullerton, Calif., a corporation of California Application July 17, 1958, Serial No. 749,152

7 Claims. (Cl. 20-35) This invention relates to sliding closure construction particularly for exterior walls of buildings and the like. Features of this invention may be utilized in interior sliding closure construction.

One of the primary requirements of an exterior sliding closure construction is resistance and weather tightness in general under any weather condition which produces a pressure differential between the outside and inside of the sliding closure, examples of such weather conditions being high winds, driving rains or driving dust storms. Many prior proposed sliding closures included frame constructions which required the sliding closure panels to be mounted inwardly of a sliding movable screen panel. Such prior constructions provided sill members of relatively low profile which were difficult to make weathertight under weather conditions as above mentioned and particularly under heavy rains and winds. Mounting of the screen panel outside of the closure panels subjected the screen mesh to constant weathering with re sulting discoloration and general deterioration.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a novel sill frame member which presents the appearance of a low sill, yet which is so designed as to prevent overflow of water or rain at the sill member when a closure construction of this invention is subjected to a 45 mile per hour wind with a simulated rainfall of 2 inches per hour for at least a period of 15 minutes; The sill member of this invention also embodies novel features which permit the mounting of the screen panel on the inside of the closure panels and which affords rapid and precise assembly of closure panels therewith.

Another requirement of an exterior sliding closure construction is that weather tightness be achieved by a construction which can be shipped in knock-down condition and accurately and quickly assembled at the jobsite with minimum labor and time. Prior sliding doors have been proposed to meet this requirement buthave been accompanied with certain disadvantages with respect to assembly, weather tightness, proper adjustment and attractiveness of the resulting sliding closure construction. This invention not only provides a frame construction within which a fixed panel is mounted in novel manner, but also provides a novel means of assembly of fixed and sliding panel members to form rigid rectangular frame for glazing and for convenient assembly with a frame construction.

The sliding closure construction, and particularly the head sill and jamb members, are .shown in a copending application Serial No. 730,963, filed April 25, 1958, and entitled Protective Barrier Means for Door Frame Construction, which describes and claims a plastic sleeve member for ensleeving such frame members and, if necessary, such sliding panel members so as to protect them during shipment and while on the jobsite, the plastic sleeves on the frame members also serving as moisture barriers between the frame members and the surrounding wall construction.

The primary object of this invention therefore is to 2,918,708 Patented Dec. 29, 1959 disclose and provide a novel sliding closure construction of exceptional weather tightness and of facile assembly.

A more specific object of this invention is to dislose and provide a novel manner of asembling closure panels in a frame construction.

A still more specific object of this invention is to disclose and provide a novel construction and manner for precise assembly of closure panel members.

A still further object of this invention is to disclose and provide a sliding closure construction wherein a sliding screen panel is mounted at the inside of closure panels and wherein a novel threshold construction is employed for weather tightness and which presents an appearance of a relatively low sill and threshold combination.

It will be understood that these and many other objects of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the drawings in which an exemplary embodiment of this invention is shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a sliding panel construction embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken in the vertical trans verse plane indicated by line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken in a transverse horizontal plane indicated by the line III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken in a vertical longitudinal planeindicated by line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line VV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the vertical longitudinal plane indicated by line VI-VI of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a corner joint of a closure panel shown in Fig. 1, the view being partly in section.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line VIIIVIII of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line IXIX of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged elevational view of a corner joint of the screen panel shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line XIXI of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line XII-XII of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the vertical plane indicated by line XIII-XIII of Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1 a sliding door construction embodying this invention is illustrated as installed in the wall of a building and generally may comprise a frame structure including a sill member 20, a head member 21 and spaced side jamb members 22, 22a. The frame members 20, 21 and 22, 22a define a frame opening within which may be positioned at least one fixed closure panel 23, a sliding closure panel 24 and an interior sliding screen panel 25. It will be understood that in frame openings of different width, more than one fixed panel or more than one sliding panel may be employed.

The sill member 20 of the frame structure may comprise a precut length of extruded aluminum alloy or of any other suitable metal formed or shaped in section as illustrated in Fig. 2. The sill member 20 may comprise an outwardly and downwardly inclined sill wall 26 terminating in' an exterior longitudinal sill portion 27 of relatively thicker section and provided with a depending edge lip 28. The sill wall 26 joins a generally horizontal wall section 29 at the interior longitudinal edge portion of the sill member, said wall portion 29 being formed with a longitudinally extending, upstanding screen track or rib 31). The wall 26 and wall 29 may be supported from vertical support walls 31 and 32, each formed at its bottom edge with a foot portion, 33 and 34, respectively. Spaced outwardly from the screen track 30 is a means for locating and positioning the fixed panel 23 and threshold 38 on the sill and said means may include parallel, longitudinally extending upstanding spaced retainer ribs 35 and 37. Rib 35 has greater height than rib 37 and may be provided with a downwardly inwardly inclined or beveled edge face 36. The low rib 37 may also have a downwardly and inwardly inclined bevel face 37a. The space between ribs 35 and 37 and the bevel faces 36 and 37a cooperate with depending members on a fixed closure panel 23 and a threshold 38 as hereinafter described. The inclined sill wall 26 may be provided with a longitudinally extending sliding panel track 40 of selected section, said track having a top longitudinally extending bead-like portion suitably encased in a track cap or cover 41 made of nylon or other suitable noise-resistant plastic material having reduced friction characteristics.

The head member 21 is vertically above the sill member 20 and may likewise be extruded from a suitable metal material such as an aluminum alloy. The head member 21 comprises an outer longitudinally extending, downwardly facing recess 45 defined by an outer depending wall 46 and an inwardly spaced depending U-portion 47. The U-portion 47 also defines with a depending wall 48 an inwardly spaced, downwardly facing continuous second intermediate recess 49. Inwardly spaced from recess 49 may be a third continuous longitudinal recess 50 defined by intermediate wall 48 and inner Wall 51, said inner recess 50 being defined further by a top wall 52 provided with a centrally disposed longitudinally extending depending screen track 53 in vertical alignment with screen track 30 on the sill member.

The U-portion 47' includes a lower wall portion of, relatively thick metal section which is provided on opposite longitudinal vertical faces thereof with parallel longitudinally extending grooves 55 and 56 which may receive and retain suitable Weatherstrip means 57 and 58 respectively.

J amb member 22 adjacent fixed panel 23 may comprise an extruded section of aluminum metal alloy providing a vertical outer strike face 60 for the sliding panel 24 and spaced inner strike face 61 for screen panel 25, said faces 60, 61 lying in the same vertical plane. Between said faces 60, 61 is a vertical recess 62 defined by spaced recess walls 63, 64- adapted to receive therebetween a stile of the fixed panel 23 as later discribed. The inner surface of recess Wall 64 may be provided with a continuous vertically extending groove 65 within which may be secured a Weatherstrip means 66.

The jamb member 22a, cooperable with the sliding panels 24 and 25 may also be of extruded aluminum metal alloy and may comprise an outer vertical longitudinal recess 70 defined by an outer recess wall 71, an inner recess wall 72, and a back wall 73. The edge portion of wall 71 may be provided with an inwardly facing, longitudinally extending groove 74 for carrying a circular section vertical bead element 75 of suitable plastic material such as nylon for sealing engagement against the outer or jamb stile member of sliding panel 24. The

inwardly spaced recess wall 72 is provided with a vertical member of the sliding screen 25. Between said recesses.

73 and 78 the jamb member 22a is provided with a jamb wall 81 lying opposite to the recess 62 provided in the opposite jamb 22.

It will be understood that the jamb members, head, and

sill members may be secured to the structure of the building wall in any suitable well known manner and may be assembled and interconnected at their corners in well known manner so as to provide a rectangular frame,

opening which is true and squared. Not shown in the illustrations of this example of the sliding closure, are the plastic sleeve members encasing the sill, head and jamb member and providing seal means between the frame members and the surround of the building.

The fixed and sliding closure panels 23 and 24 include rail and stile members made of similarcross sectional shapes and for the purpose of brevity and clarity the frame structure of only the sliding panel will be described in detail, the frame structure of the fixed panel being similar except for the differences described hereinafter. Like members on, the. fixed panel will be indicated with the same reference numeral with a prime sign.

Sliding panel 24 may comprise a bottom horizontal rail 85, a top horizontal rail 86, an outer jamb-opposing vertical stile member 87 and. an inner interlock stile member 88, said members being joined together in a novel manner at their adjacent end portions to form right angle corners. Each top and bottom rail member may include an extruded box section defined by spaced side walls 90, 91 respectively which are provided at their inner periphery with inwardly off-set glass. pane mounting portionsv 92 and 93, respectively. The mounting portions 92, 93 may be spaced apart to receive therebetween an edge margin of a glass pane 94 and a U section resilient moulding or mounting strip 95 for said pane.

Between the side walls 90, 91 of the bottom rail and spaced. from ends thereof, maybe provided a pair of ad justable sheave means 96 for rollingly supporting the sliding panel, said sheaves including wheels 97 for quiet rolling engagement. with. the nylon, track cap 41. The adjustable sheave means 96 are not. described in detail and may be adjusted vertically so, as, to properly align the sliding panel within the opening, with. respect to jamb, member 22a The top rail 86 may extend upwardly into the outer first recess 45 and, the outer side wall 90 of the rail 86 may carry longitudinally spaced buttons 98 of plastic material such as nylon for sliding contact with the inner surface of wall 46 on the head member The inner side wall 91 of rail 86 is provided, with a wall surface in sealing contact with said Weatherstrip means 57.

The inner and, outer stile members 88 and 87 include similar box sections, and, each. may comprise respectively outer stile walls 100 and inner stile walls 101, said walls 100,, 101 merging with mounting portions 102 and 103 respectively for securing a glass, pane 94 and a U-section moulding or mounting strip 95. The outer stile 87 may be provided with suitable latch means (not shown) for cooperation with a latch plate on jamb member 22a and with. door pulls 106 of suitable form. The stile wall 101 of the outer stile 87 is provided sealing contact with the Weatherstrip means 77 and with sealing contact with the bead element 75 when the slidingpanel is in closed position. The inner stile 88 has its wall 101 in sealing contact with a Weatherstrip means 107 carried by an interlock member 108' provided on the inner. stile member 88' of the fixed panel.

The interlock member 108 on stile 88 is spaced a selected distance from stile wall 101 and is in the form of a return of generally triangular section providing an inclined surface, 110. Adjacent the base of the triangular section, the inclined surface 110 may be provided with a vertically extending groove 111 coextensive with the interlock member 108, said groove housing a head or cord 112 ofsuitable material-such as" nylon for abutting engagement with the opposed inclined face 110 of the interlock member 108; The groove 111' on the interlock member 108' 'of'the fixed panel need not carry a cord 112' if so desired. The interlock member 108 includes a. weat herstrips groove 114 adapted to. carry s Weatherstrip. means 107 for sealing engagement with the opposed stile wall 101' of the inner stile 88.

In this example, the jamb stile 87' of the fixed panel is illustrated as being of generally H-section rather than of box section as shown for stile 87 and includes spaced walls 115 interconnected by transverse wall 116 which may be ported at top and bottom ends to receive securement screws (not shown) for assembly with the top and bottom rails 86, 85. The walls 115 on the stile 87' are received within the recess 62 on jamb member 22 and the inner wall 115 is held against recess wall 63 when the fixed panel is assembled with the frame and secured thereto as later described.

One of the features of the present invention is the means for interconnecting the stiles 87, 88 with the horizontal rail members 85 and 86. Each corner of the sliding panel frame includes the same means for interconnection of the adjacent right angular disposed end portions of the rail and stile and for brevity and clarity only one such corner connection or joint will be described.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9, such a corner connection is shown in detail, Fig. 7 being a view looking at the top inside corner of stile 87 and top rail 86. Stile 87 of box section has a top end portion in which the stile walls 100 and 101 extend to the top of the panel. Inner wall 117 adjacent to mold sections 102 and 103 may be cut away at 118 (Fig. 9) so as to provide a top opening 117a adapted to receive the adjacent end portion of top rail 86. The walls 91 and 90 of rail 86 may be of somewhat thicker section than walls 100, 101 of stile 87. At their ends, walls 90 and 91 of rail 86 are milled so as to provide relatively thin end sections 119 which slidably fit within and between stile walls 100 and 101. During milling of each end section 119, a transverse undercut, inclined or wedge shoulder face 121 is formed in each of walls 90 and 91 or rail 86. The inner vertical edges of the stile walls 100, 101 throughout their length may be provided with longitudinal bevel faces 122, said bevel faces 122, at the top of the stile Walls, each serving to provide a wedge face having an inclination corresponding to an opposed inclined wedge shoulder face 121 on walls 90 and 91 of the top rail. In assembly, top rail 86 may be inserted into opening 117a of stile 87 until the wedge shoulder face 121 throughout its length is wedged tightly against the opposed bevel wedge face 122. It will be noted that the end sections 119 extend into close spaced relation with the back or outer wall 120 of the stile and do not contact wall 120.

Means for drawing the wedge faces 121 and 122 into tight engagement may comprise a pair of screw bolts 125 carried by back wall 120 of the stile and extending through ports 124 therein for threaded engagement with 2. depending slotted sleeve-like portion 126 carried by and integral with the top and bottom walls 127, 128 of the box section of rail 86. Tightening screw bolts 125 will draw the top rail lengthwise into snug engagement with the bevel wedge faces 122 on the stile and the corner will be secured in squared or right angle relationship. It should be noted that the outer surfaces of walls 100, 101 and of walls 86 and 91 respectively lie in the same common plane and that a flush joint is thereby provided. A 45 miter joint line 130 may be provided at the bevel face 122 and the bevel face 131 provided on rail 86 where the rail walls 90 and 91 join the molding section 92 and 93.

It will be understood that each of the corner joints of both the sliding panel and the fixed panel may be interconnected in similar wedging manner. Since the illustrated stile 87' on the fixed panel is of H-section instead of box section, it will be understood that end section 119 may be shortened and terminate at transverse wall 116 and screw bolts similar to 125 may draw still 87 tightly against the shoulder faces 121 on top and bottom rails of the fixed panel. The opposite end of the top rail on the fixed panel may be secured by one screw bolt as 1 shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 5.

Assembly of the door frame members with the fixed and sliding panels may be readily and quickly accomplished. As described hereinbefore, the sill, jamb, and head members may be fitted into a wall opening in well known manner in order to provide a rectangular framed opening. The fixed panel may be placed in the frame opening at the side of the frame opening where it is to be located and the top rail thereof may be inserted upwardly into the central downwardly facing recess 49 of the head member until there is sufiicient clearance for the bottom rail and its inner depending wall to clear the upstanding low rib 37 on the sill and to drop into the space between said ribs 37 and 35. The panel 23, when lowered, will seat on sill wall 26 and be held at its lower portion against transverse movement by holding and alignment engagement by ribs 35, 37 of the bottom edge margin of inner wall 91. The fixed panel may then be slid toward jamb member 22 until its stile 87 is received in recess 62 provided therein. The outer stile Wall 88'a of stile 88' may then be lowered into a transverse slot 133 provided in the ribs 35, 37 of the sill member. This interengagement of the ribs 35, 37 with wall 88a of the stile locates and secures the fixed panel longitudinally of the sill member.

The top of the fixed panel may be secured in selected position (Fig. 5) by an angle clip 135 secured to the head member as by screw bolts 136 and having a depending portion secured to the wall 88a of the interlock member 88' by means of a thread cutting screw bolt 137 extending into a narrow vertical slot 138 in the depending portion of the clip 135 to provide vertical adjustment of the fixed panel during installation.

The fixed securement of the top of the fixed panel by the clip 135 and of the bottom rail 85 throughout its length by the ribs 35, 37, and the resilient pressure of the Weatherstrip means 58 and 66 against the top rail and outer jamb stile 87 serves to position and retain the fixed panel in weathertight relation in the frame.

With the fixed panel installed in the frame opening, threshold 38 may be readily installed between stile member 88 and the opposed jamb member 22a by vertically lowering threshold 38 in the space between stile 88' and jamb member 22a so that the inner longitudinally extending depending threshold rib 140 is received Within the slot or space between ribs 35, 37 and the longitudinally extending undercut top inner edge portion 140a is seated in complementary relation on bevel face 3 6 on rib 35. The threshold 38 may include a front longitudinally extending wall 141 provided with a foot 142 seated against sill wall 26 and adjacent the top of wall 141 a weatherstrip groove 143 is provided for retaining a. Weatherstrip member 144. Weatherstrip member 144 includes an outwardly extending depending resilient flap or lip 145 of suitable material which may engage the :inner surface of wall 91 of sliding panel 24. The threshold 38 may be secured to the sill member by three longitudinally spaced screw bolts 147. Front wall 141 is relatively high and serves effectively to obstruct and retain water from flowing over the threshold during rain storms.

The sliding panel 24 may be readily installed by raising the panel so that its top rail 86 is received within the outer recess 45 in the head member. When the panel is raised sufficiently so that the inner portions of the bottom rail may clear the track 41, the panel may be lowered so as to rest and position the sheave means 96 on track 40. In such position, the top rail is engaged by weatherstrip means 57 and the outer nylon buttons 98 engage the outer depending wall 46 of the head member. The sheave means may be adjusted in well known manner so that the sliding panel is positioned in the frame opening with its 'vertical stile members parallel to jamb 22a.

In closed position, sliding panel 24 is in weathersealing relation to the frame by means of the track 40, threshold wall 141, and Weatherstrip means 144 at the bottom. rail,

7 by Weatherstrip means 77 at the jamb 22a, by Weatherstrip means 57 at the head 21, and by Weatherstrip means 107 at the interlock members 88, 88.

It will be apparent from the above description that the fixed panel is providedwith' weatherseal means entirely around its periphery and likewise the sliding panel is provided with weatherseal means at the top and bottom rails and at the inner stile and jamb member when the sliding panel is closed. Since the interlock members 88 and 88 do not extend upwardly into snug engagement with the depending intermediate wall 47 provided on the head member because of the necessity for moving the panels vertical relative to the head member for assembly, weatherblock or obstruction is provided at the top of the interlock members as shown in Fig. 6. The interlocks 108 and 108 lie directly beneath depending wall 47 of the head member and to said depending wall may be secured a weatherseal element 170 secured to wall 47 as by a screw bolt 171. The element 170 may comprise a relatively stiff body portion 172 provided with a plurality of curved depending transversely extending fingers 173 and an outer finger 174 which extends over the edge of the interlock member 108. The width of fingers 173 completely fills the space between the opposed stile walls of the inner stiles of the fixed and sliding panels and the fingers 173 are of sufiicient length so as to sealingly resiliently press against the top edge faces of the interlock members 108 and 108' when they are in closed position.

The sliding screen means 25 may comprise a rigid rectangular frame including screen stile members 150 and top and bottom rail members 151, 151. The bottom rail 151 may be of U-section with the open face of the U directed downwardly, walls 152, 152 of screen rail 151 carrying a pair of longitudinally spaced wheels 153 pivotally mounted in Well known manner in walls'152. The wheels 153 rollingly engage screen track 30. The top rail 151 may alsobe of U-section and the wall 152 thereof provide an upwardly facing recess within which may be upwardly biased vertically movable U-section housings 154, each of which carries a top wheel 155 for rolling engagement with the depending track 53. The housing 154 may be pivotally mounted about an axis spaced from the axis of the wheel so as to permit housing 154 and wheel carried thereby to be depressed when the screen is being installed in a manner similar to that described for the sliding panel.

The screen stiles 150 may be'of box section and may be connected at their ends to the screen rails 151 in novel manner, only one corner connection being shown for brevity. Inner wall 157 of each screen stile 150 may be cut away adjacent each end of'the stile member so as to provide an opening whereby the adjacent end portion of the screen rail 151 may be received through said opening and between the walls 158 of the stile. surfaces of walls 158 are provided with inwardly directed stop flanges or elements 159 against which end faces of rails 151 abut in assembly.

The end portions of rails 151 each include a polygonal or square nut 160 positioned against rotation between walls 161 and held against longitudinal movement in novel manner. Each wall 161 may be provided with a vertically extending slot 162 approximately the width of the thickness of nut 160 and of a length not exceeding the width of the nut. After the nut has been positioned between walls 161 in alignment with the slots 162, the

margins of walls 161 adjacent the nut may be deformed inwardly as at 163 and 164 so as to hold the nut against longitudinal movement with respect to the stile rail 151.

When the screen frame is assembled, a securing screw bolt 165 may be inserted through a counterbored port 166 in the back wallof the stile 150 and into threaded engagement with the nut 160. As the screw bolt 165 is drawn tight, it urges nut.,1,60 against inner edges of de formed metal portions 164 of the walls 151 and also The inner urges end faces of said'walls tightly into abutment with? the flanges 159 on the stile walls 158. As screw bolt 165 is-further tightened, it will be apparentthatthe metal between the flanges 159 and the edge of the deformed portions 164 will be placed under compression andth'at" such metal will tend to spread outwardly into tight frictional engagement with inner surfaces of the stile walls 158. A friction-tight, non-rattling joint for interconnection of ends of rail and stile members is thus provided for the screen frame.

One of the important features of the sliding door C011? struction described above is the arrangement of the threshold member 38 with the sill member 20 so as to provide not only a simple means for assembly of the sliding door construction, but also a construction which will resist driving rainsand high winds so as to prevent.

rain water from being driven over the sill member tothe inside of the door. At the portion of the sill member occupied by the sliding panel when closed,

it will be noted that rain or water under pressure cannotpass to the inside of the door construction because first the water must pass over track 40. As water reaches threshold 38, it must be driven vertically upwardly along wall 141 a substantial distance and then is further blocked by the downwardly depending, longitudinally extending Weatherstrip member 144. To pass member 144, water must move downwardly and then pass upwardly between the free edge of lip and the rail wall.

efiecti ve obstruction to driving rain or driving winds which retain any water outside the threshold 38.

With respect to the fixedpanel, it will be noted'that' there is a positive weathertight interlock provided between the longitudinal bottom edge portion of the inner wall of the bottom rail which is relatively easily fitted and held between the ribs 35 and 37 on the sill member. The outer wall of the bottom rail member is provided with a snug metal-to-metal contact with the sill wall 26 and any water which may seep through such metal-tometal contact is positively prevented from entering the room by means of the interlocking of the inner rail wall with the spaced low and high ribs on the sill member;

It will thus be apparent that the frame members havev margins of the stile walls 100, 101 into snug wedge-like engagement with the opposed thin section portions 119. of the rails.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made in the construction of a sliding closure wherein such modifications and changes come within the spirit of this invention, and all such changes coming within the scope ofthe apended claims are embraced thereby.

We claim:

1. Means for interconnecting a pair of frame members disposed in angular relation, comprising: spaced side walls interconnected by a back wall on one frame member, each side wall including a wedge face parallel to the longitudinal axis of said one frame member; spaced walls on the other frame member having end portions extending into and between said spaced side walls on said one framemember and provided with transverse shoul ders having wedge faces spaced" from the edges ofsaid" Since pressure differential at the lip 145 tends to urge the-lip moretightly against the rail wall, water is positively prevented from passing therebetween. Any water which might seep between foot 142 and the sill wall will have insufi'icient: pressure behind it to reach ribs 37 and 35. The particular threshold and sill construction provides a positive The panels present a fiush' end portions; and means carried by one frame member in longitudinal alignment and cooperably engaged with the other frame member for urging said wedge faces into tight wedging relation.

2. An interconnecting means as stated in claim 1 wherein said wedge faces terminate externally at outer side surfaces of said frame members and wherein said outer side surfaces lie in a common plane when said wedge faces are drawn into wedging relation.

3. An interconnecting means as stated in claim 1 wherein said wedge faces on said one frame member are at the prolongation of the longitudinal inner edges of said one frame member and said wedge faces are arranged in a direction to restrain spreading apart of walls of said one member.

4. In a panel closure means for a sliding closure construction, the provision of: top and bottom rail members and vertical stile members forming a rectangular hollow panel opening, each of said members having side and edge walls defining a box section; means for interconnecting adjacent end portions of stile and rail members, said side walls and inner edge wall of each stile member defining an opening at each end portion thereof, each of said side walls at said opening being provided with a wedge face in prolongation of the longitudinal edge of said side wall, each rail member having an end portion provided with a reduced Section of material receivable through said opening on an adjacent stile member, said reduced section of material defining shoulder wedge faces complementary to said wedge faces on the said stile member; and means for drawing said members together to tightly abut and interlock said wedge faces.

5. A construction for joining two frame members in rigid angular relation with exterior side faces lying in respective common planes, comprising in combination: a first frame member of box section having an inner edge Wall, an outer edge wall and spaced side walls, said side walls being of uniform width throughout their length, said inner edge wall having an opening therein defined by said side walls, said side walls at said opening having beveled edge faces; a second frame member of box section having side walls and inner and outer edge walls, said latter side walls being provided with reduced end sections defining transverse undercut shoulder faces inclined corresponding to said beveled edge faces, said reduced end sections extending into the box section of the first frame member through said opening therein to abut said beveled faces with said inclined shoulder faces, said end sections terminating in spaced relation to the outer edge wall of the first frame member; and secure ment means on said frame members cooperable to draw said frame members into assembled relation with said beveled and inclined shoulder faces in tight wedging abutment.

6. A corner construction for joining two frame members in angular relation with exterior side faces in flush relationship, comprising in combination: a first frame member of box section having an inner edge wall, an outer edge wall and spaced side walls, said side walls and outer edge wall extending beyond the inner edge wall to define an opening, said side walls at said opening being of uniform width and having wedge edge sections; a second frame member of box section having side walls provided with reduced end portions of uniform width and defining transverse undercut wedge shoulder sections complementary to said wedge edge sections, said reduced end portions being received through said opening for engagement with the side walls of the first member and to abut in wedging relation said wedge edge sections and wedge shoulder sections, said end portions being spaced from said outer edge wall of the first frame member; and securement means carried by the said outer edge wall of the first frame member and means on the second frame member cooperable with said securement means to hold the frame members in assembly.

7. A corner construction for joining two frame members in angular relationship comprising, in combination: an elongated frame member having a longitudinal axis and including spaced side walls and an inner edge wall having an opening defined by said spaced side walls, said side walls at said opening being of uniform width and having edge wedge faces extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first frame member; a second frame member having spaced side walls provided with reduced end sections defining wedge shoulder faces lying parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first frame member, said reduced end sections being received within said opening to abut said edge wedge and wedge shoulder faces; and securement means on said frame members cooperable to draw said frame member into assembled relation with the wedge faces in tight wedging engagement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 601,547 Borden Mar. 29, 1898 1,002,781 Swart Sept. 5, 1911 1,030,694 Watson et al. June 25, 1912 1,968,890 Huff Aug. 7, 1934 2,294,101 Tripp Aug. 25, 1942 2,699,204 Davis Jan. 11, 1955 2,703,159 Van Fleet Mar. 1, 1955 2,739,358 Kunkel Mar. 27, 1956 2,774,997 Zitomer Dec 25, 1956 2,810,460 Winnan Oct. 22, 1957 2,818,919 Sylvan Jan. 7, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 234,310 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1944 

